normalacy in other ways

[sathor]

Today, I brought home pizza from Little Caesars today, and my son looked at the guy and pointed, and I told him the guy was a Roman, and is wearing a Toga. As far as his 4 year old mind can put together, it must look like a funny kilt to him.

Which leads to a handful of questions, such as, does anyone still wear the toga, in the US at any rate, or does it only live on for frat parties. (Which may well be the closest to the values of those Romans...)

I have on a book shelf here an old Hot Rod Roddy Piper action figure, though no pleats so to speak, it has two ridges that resemble the buckles on the side where there would be two buckles, though none on the other side.

It all makes me think, how do kilts and other related garments figure today in the world as compared to 10 or 20 years ago. When I was a kid, there was Roddy Piper wrestling, and we had a Little Caesars, and Groundskeeper Willy came about...

But now, we still have Willy (Just realized my 5th time at least through the Simpsons movie that he is in just a kilt for his final on screen time) as well as Mung Daal from Chowder, at least 2 WWF wrestlers (or whatever that company calls itself now) and kilts randomly in various cartoons for quick moments. But I was just a child 20 years back, perhaps someone with a few more years on me can give an opinion on the matter, are kilts more normal on tv and in culture than 10 or 20 years ago, or could it just be a random artifact of Bravehart/Rob Roy? And does 50 years of the pantless Little Caesar make our lives easier to be kilted, or is he just an ignorable figment of advertising?

[Dan R Porter]

I took a kali class and the instructor wore a sarong everyday. Though not a toga, it was just a comfortable piece of clothing for him. And man was it a fine weapon!

I also had a student in my world religions course that wore a robe everyday. Though it was no bath robe. So I have seen many examples of culture clothing here. I wonder if they get the same comments as us kilt wearers? Though I would never mess with a kali guru!

[sathor]

thats an idea... the next time a place bans kilts or something like that which annoys the kilted masses, we need to have a toga night or sarong night or something of the like.

[Jordan]

I dunno about advertising 20 years ago (being only 19) but there's a guy I met once on camp who was called toga does that count

[sathor]

I dunno about advertising 20 years ago (being only 19) but there's a guy I met once on camp who was called toga does that count

only if he was imposing and scary looking. If he was a bean pole, than no.

[raibeart_dubh]

I think kilts, particularly in North America, are far more common than they were 15-20 years ago. I think there are a lot of factors that contribute to that.

1. Websites like this one!

2. The internet in general. It is far easier to research and purchase kilted attire now than it was then.

3. I also think that Braveheart and Rob Roy, historical inaccuracies aside, have done wonders for bringing the kilt to a broader demographic.

[GMan]

I thing that only at Frat parties do they wear togas that I know of. Perhaps some people do on a regular basis.

[SteveB]

Observations from the desk of the old man, who lives in a big city:

Kilted since a wee lad. But only for weddings, funerals, church. Back then.
The only kilts being the traditional bespoke wool tartan type.

Kilts seen on pipe bands in parades. Still happens today.

Kilted men in travel adverts in the newspaper for Scotland.

Kilted men on telly adverts for Scotland did not start until the invention of colour videography.
Shortly thereafter the parades with pipe bands were to be seen on the telly.

Around 1985 self colour kilt like garments started to be seen on men of the artistic nature. Tartan kilts being seen on the street on rare occasion.

1995 or so the cargo utility skirt like thing started making itself seen. Pleats of a sort in the rear, but no overlapping aprons in the front. Like a skirt you had to step into it and fasten the button at the waist and zip up the front.

Around 2000 the utility kilt started coming into noticeable use. Large pleats in the rear, overlapping aprons in the front (narrower than on the tartan kilt) fastened with buttons, hooks, or snaps. Not shaped well and held to the waist by a belt.

2003 the kilt is seen on the street. Not just the traditional wool, but tartans in many different fabrics machine sewn to resemble the knife pleated kilt.

2006 men wearing kilts / kilt like garments becoming more commonplace.

Slainte

[sathor]

Observations from the desk of the old man, who lives in a big city:

I got much of the info in better quality than I expected for the short time that has elapsed so far, thank you.

But, why do you think they didn't seem to show kilts on BW TV?

[Pleater]

The toga - even in its simplest form is rather cumbersome. It is worn rather like a huge long plaid, but tended/tends to slide off the shoulder and necessitates the left shoulder being kept tensed and often the left arm crooked to keep it in place.

Normally the toga was worn with a tunic, but it was perfectly proper without one.

I doubt that anyone actually wears a toga these days, though I found that a long length of towelling worn toga fashion made quite a good bathrobe in an emergency.

Anne the Pleater